a very sgp christmas

Just a few close friends from high school - more like sisters really - and a lot of good food. There's nothing more that I'd really need to have a great time. It takes me back to those carefree lunchtimes back at school where we just ate, talked, tried to finish the homework due next period and simply enjoyed each other's company. We were all unique, with our own interests and goals - but those differences were the things that brought us together and kept us together this year when we all went our separate ways to gain the skills, knowledge and experience we needed to do whatever it was that we had our minds set on. And although our busy schedules only allowed us to meet rarely, its nice to know that when we are together, it feels just like it did back then.

This post by the way will showcase some of the first publicly shared photos taken by Felix, my Samsung WB500, all resized of course.

So, the Christmas party was held at Chel's house, most likely because she did most of the work and its the easiest for everyone to get to. I was told the night before to come early and help her set up - and to prepare the salsa for the nachoes. So, at about 0900hrs on the 22nd of December, I showed up on her doorstep bearing salsa ingredients, a two-tier cake stand and two bottles of wine. Believe me, it was a little difficult to get it all there via public transport, but I managed =]

She gave me the rundown of the menu, and my mouth was already watering in anticipation of lunch. We prepared the table for all the food that was to come and got to work on the chicken and salsa while snacking on the chocolate covered cherries. And I set up the cake stand - it was hard work trying to put the cherries, strawberries and cupcakes on the stand and not in my mouth. Kass then showed up at about 1000hrs bearing the cake, and we both made suggestions regarding the chicken: "dude, put butter on it", "no dude, more" - all the while Chel was saying that she'd blame us if it turned out bad. Good thing it didn't, eh Chel?

In time, the others began arriving with their contributions: El and her potato salad, Jackie and the Caesar salad with homemade croûtons, Mariel and her pretty chocolate cupcakes. All who were left were Zari and Megz, bearing wine and buffalo wings. Lunch was set to be served at 1130, but of course that wasn't going to happen. You see, we have running history of never going anywhere on time. This was never pinned on just the one person, for we have all been guilty of being late. However, being late when the others are seated infront of food which smells delicious was not the best thing to do. It was almost torture to sit there and not consume anything but the appetizers while we waited - after all, it was the polite thing to do, to wait for the rest of the guests.

Mariel's very prettily iced chocolate cupcakes

THE MENU.

Appetizers

Sausage Rolls

Meat Pies

M&M's

Starburst Snakepit Snakes

Starburst Gummi Fruits

Starburst Party Mix

Nachos

Mains

Buttered & Herbed Roast Chicken served on top of Roast Potatoes

Home-made Garlic Bread

Lasagna

Caesar Salad

Potato Salad

Buffalo Wings

Dessert

Chocolate Cupcakes with Icing

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries & Cherries

Banana Cupcakes with Passionfruit Icing

Golden White Chocolate Mudcake

After lunch, we sat around the television like one big happy family. I think a lunchtime special of Beyonce's music videos was on and we sat around, still nibbling on bits and pieces. After a good dose of Beyonce and her body, feelings of regret at how much we ate settled in, which was only quenched by even more food. Which was then followed by 17 Again and Harry Potter & the Half Blood Prince, again accompanied by some slightly healthier snacks such as cherries (covered in chocolate) - and took what seemed like a million photos.

We left that night, completely stuffed, but still wanting more. As was said multiple times throughout the day when we went for seconds although complaining we were full, or when we did things completely stupid or pointless like try to recreate Beyonce and Shakira's dance moves: "this is why we don't have many friends" - because we act like total idiots and love food a bit too much.

Dedicated to SGP, to another year of laughs, tears & good times

blueprints for city friendships

Sounds like something that goes hand in hand with Simmel's views of city dwellers - you know, how they're heartless, think with their heads and not their hearts, value money more than anything and their tendency to be blase about everything - sort of self-help book regarding relationships in urban area. But, seeing as this post is from me, it quite so obviously isn't. It is in fact a clever combination of the titles of three Anberlin albums: Blueprints for the Black Market, Never Take Friendship Personal and Cities - the Anberlin Anthology that I picked up at JB Hi-Fi in Parramatta while I was there with Kass on her quest for silver chucks and a leopard print belt.

Kass and I had no clue that this awesome edition even existed - so of course we both had to have it. It completes my collection of Anberlin albums (however I will still purchase the Blueprints for the Black Market and Cities in their original editions because that's just how I am). The cover is just as clever as the title, integrating aspects from all three album covers in a new, sepia cover. To the left is the same bust on Never Take Friendship Personal taken from another angle. To the left is an inversion of the Cities cover, and at the bottom is a couple of rolled up blueprints to signify Blueprints for the Black Market.

The interior is the same sepia and black & white from the cover. I do miss the original artwork palettes, but this was still very pretty - classic and timeless. As with any physical album I purchase, I simply had to listen to it. There's something different about listening to music straight off the CD. Somehow it sounds fuller, better. Or maybe it's just me.

Blueprints for the Black Market

Listening to Blueprints brought me back to their early works, some of which have more significance to me. Such as Cadence (Track 10) - I adored this song when I first heard it, even more so when I heard it in its raw, acoustic form. It was the spark for one of the names for my future children, Cadence Rayne.

Never Take Friendship Personal

The title track for this album was the first song I'd ever heard from this awesome band almost five years ago. I was scanning the radio stations on a Saturday night. I had stumbled upon the Christian Rock station in its Top 40, and my, oh my it was wonderful - even with the horrendous static. It was the beginning of a very wonderful addiction to the sound of Anberlin.

Cities

Cities was the second album from which I heard a track on the radio. It was Dismantle. Repair. another brilliant song that I can't get enough of. The entire album brings me back to the times where I walked to school with music drowning out all surrounding noise (which is not something I'd advise. It is very harmful to your hearing and safety). It kind of makes me wish I was back in Highschool, when things were sort of simpler. But then again, I think about being there 9-3 every weekday and think again.

Despite not achieving our objectives for the day: to find silver chucks, a leopard print belt and a yellow belt for Kass, we did end adding to our Anberlin collections, and that of course can never be bad.